Last weekend, my high school friend Cody and I headed up to Indian Peaks (weirdly on the same weekend as our 5-year high school reunion). We pushed up and over the Continental Divide, and then down along Pawnee Pass to Crater Lake - we arrived there around 3PM and promptly went for a bone-chilling swim. We snagged a campsite with a fantastic view and chilled for the evening, then turned around the next day and hiked back the way we came (~20 miles round trip). Crater Lake is tucked in a deep valley, so while the sun set early and rose late, we were protected from the cold wind. Great adventure, beautiful scenery, perfect weekend.
This morning (Saturday) I biked up Left Hand Canyon to Ward, CO, drank an espresso shot, and then continued on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway to Nederland. The ride up Left Hand was a gradual climb through the quiet, foggy foothills. Peak to Peak is a north-south highway that runs parallel to the divide, winding through amazing mountain landscapes. I lunched at Kathmandu, my new favorite mountain food spot, and then headed down the canyon to Boulder. I hit some unexpected wind resistance on the way down that slowed me almost to a complete stop :/ Still, I had one of the best mornings of my year, biking a total distance of about 50 miles and climbing over 5000 feet in elevation (who needs animal products?)
In chronological order, here are some (touched-up) photos from the past few weeks:
Looks like fun! A little dad advice. Don't forget to tell someone where you're going and when you should be back.
ReplyDeleteAwesome pics! What a great trip!
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